The Brit who invented the coolest barbecue on the planet (literally!) has launched a crowdfunder for his latest product, the ZIGZAG.
Feted inventor John Tomalin-Reeves, 49, has spent the past three years designing and perfecting the ZIGZAG, a product set to revolutionise outdoor eating.
The portable outdoor oven comes hot off the heels of the cool to touch BBQ, Halo Cooltouch, which was also designed by John and made entirely in the UK. The Halo was dubbed ‘the Dyson of the barbecue’ by the Telegraph, featured in GQ magazine and was also sold in Selfridges.
His newest invention, ZIGZAG, is an outdoor oven designed and made entirely in Britain. Whether it’s slow-cooked shanks, sizzled seabass or a speedy margherita, ZIGZAG is designed for budding chefs and enthusiastic cooks who enjoy the great outdoors.
An established designer, John has worked with everyone from Bentley to British Airways.
His newest product, the highly-anticipated ZIGZAG, features an innovative floating baking stone which allows flames to heat food from beneath as well as over the top to create an incredible dual heat source, speeding up cooking time and adding flavour.
This versatility enables you to cook everything from pizzas to pork chops, whether you’re at home, on the beach or at the campsite.
John has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help get the ZIGZAG into mass production. A little different to the usual entrepreneurs who ask you to back an idea on a crowdfunding site, the ZIGZAG is ready to go, and created by an already-established designer.
By backing the campaign, not only will pledgers be the first to receive the fabulous outdoor oven, and at a reduced price, they will also be supporting local communities and families as once orders are underway, the product will go into mass production in British factories.
Much of the product has been made in a family-run steel fabricators in Wales. John said: “I love the fact that the ZIGZAG has been made within 25 miles of my home in Penarth. I’ve visited the factory literally hundreds of times in the last three years and that wouldn’t have been possible if it was made in China, but what it proves more than anything is that businessmen and women really need to look thoroughly at what’s under their noses.
“I’ve been amazed by the talent I’ve seen on these shores – there are some incredible businesses here doing some world beating things, and they need our support. Regardless of how you voted in the referendum, whether we’re in or out we should all be proud of what we produce on this island and I’m here to show you that it’s possible to create a great product without having to go to the Far East.”
Backing the crowdfunding campaign, which has launched on Indiegogo today, will support British manufacturing and British jobs. “It has taken me three years to develop the ZIGZAG – from the seed of an idea to the living and breathing product you can see today,” John added, “I want you to support our crowdfunding campaign so we can give a boost to the factories in Wales which have supported our development. They’re ready to make your ZIGZAG now!”
Not only is the ZIGZAG seen as an ergonomic masterpiece, it is also beautiful to look at “I wanted something that even when it’s not in use was aesthetically pleasing, and that commitment to style was at the forefront of my mind when designing the ZIGZAG. I’ve taken a lot of the cues from the automotive world,” John explains. “New cars, especially the supercars, are all about strong lines and big statements.
“The silhouette of any product is vital and I didn’t want this to be another dome-shaped oven. We had to be brave. I wanted people to look at it and think ‘what the hell is that?’ And I wanted that sense of putting something in the garden which was not the norm.”
Those who pledge their support and buy a ZIGZAG in the first 60-days of the crowdfunder, which ends on Sunday 26 May, will benefit from an early bird price of £395. To find out more information and get yours, visit: igg.me/at/zigzag-oven
